The second batch of the A-29 Super Tucano attack aircraft acquired by the federal government to boost the war against insurgency and banditry has departed the United States for Nigeria, according to a report.
Newsmen gathered that a group of pilots flying the six A-29 aircraft from Georgia to Nigeria stopped over in the city of Worcester to refuel Wednesday night before taking off again on Thursday.
The United States Government had earlier promised that the six remaining A-29 Super Tucano attack aircraft would arrive in Nigeria this month (September).
This is coming as the Nigerian Army said yesterday that its troops rescued a military officer, Major C. L. Datong, who was abducted by armed bandits in Kaduna. Datong was abducted on August 24 from the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna. The six planes are designed for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance missions.
The first batch of the attack aircraft had earlier been delivered by the US and have since been inducted into the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) order of battle by President Muhammadu Buhari and United States government officials at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Newsmen gathered that the military planes are unable to fly across the Atlantic Ocean and have opted for a North Atlantic route, hopping to multiple spots to refuel with Worcester being one of the places to stop over and refuel.
The initial six delivered by the US flew through five countries, including Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and Algeria before arriving at their final destination in Nigeria towards the end of July.
The planes refuelled at Rectrix in the Worcester Regional Airport in the United States. The A-29 Super Tucano, designed by the Sierra Nevada Corporation in Sparks, Nevada, are light attack aircraft to be deployed by the NAF in the fight against terrorism in the country.
Worcester Telegram reported that the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, a Worcester native, was in town for her high school reunion at Doherty Memorial High School.
Leonard decided to visit the pilots Thursday and see them off. The planes were reportedly parked near the spot of the little hangar that Leonard’s father used to park his plane as a member of a pilot club in the city.
“It’s like I stood here before a very long time ago and now there are these planes that are related to my work in Nigeria,” Leonard said.
The planes are a part of the United States’ security partnership with the Nigerian government. They are expected to land in Nigeria on or around September 24. It would be recalled that the first batch of A-29 Super Tucano aircraft arrived in Kano on July 22.
The planes were received by the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd); Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Faruk Yahaya and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao.
The first batch of attack aircraft departed the United States on July 14, 2021. NAF had also completed the construction of a hangar in Jaji, Kaduna State, where the attack aircraft would be domiciled.
Speaking at a joint media briefing in Abuja to herald the induction of the first batch of the planes, the United States Envoy to Nigeria, Leonard, and the Commander of the US Air Forces in Europe and Africa, Gen Jeffrey Harrigian, said the A-29 Super Tucano sale was the largest foreign military sale in Sub-saharan Africa.
Nigeria also has the largest International Military-Education and Training Sale in the sub-Saharan Training (IMET) programme in sub-Saharan Africa.
On the Super Tucano aircraft, General Harrigian said the delivery of the fighter planes was an opportunity for the US Air Force and Nigerian Air Force “to recommit ourselves and contribute to Nigeria’s stability. It brings about capabilities.
“It is an opportunity to work together in challenging times. The A -29 Super Tucano allows us to reconnect our relationship with Nigeria”, he said, while noting that the partnership would focus on intelligence sharing, maintenance, tactics, planning, contribution to skills set and other areas outside the military”. Speaking at the ceremony, the Commander, US Air Forces in Europe and Africa, Gen Jeff Harrigian, had stated that “Nigerian Air Force is one of our key partners that play a critical role in furthering regional security and stability. “This ceremony symbolises the strength of our unique partnership and underscores the value of training and working together. The Super Tucanos were the impetus for the significant deepening of training and professional relationships”, he said.
He said precision targeting, air-to-ground integration, and human rights training are all included in the partnership between the U.S. and Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army said yesterday that troops rescued a military officer, Major C.L. Datong, who was abducted by armed bandits in Kaduna, after a fierce exchange of gunfire.
The bandits, who breached the security of the NDA on August 24, opened fire on them, killing two officers.
A statement issued by the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, Col. Ezindu Idiama, said following the directive of the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Lucky Irabor, and service chiefs to 1 Division Nigerian Army to rescue the officer, the division, in conjunction with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and all security agencies, conducted decisive operations to rescue Major CL Datong, who was abducted at Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Permanent Site on August 24, 2021.
It said the military high command had directed that the perpetrators be found dead or alive. “The Division, in conjunction with the Air Task Force, Department of State Services, and other security agencies, immediately swung into action by conducting operations in the Afaka general area to find and rescue the officer.
“The operations were being conducted based on several leads received from various sources regarding the abductors and likely locations the officer was being held,” it said.
The statement said: “The operations which were sustained since the abduction of the officer proved quite successful and led to the destruction of several identified bandits’ camps in the Afaka-Birnin Gwari general area and neutralisation of scores of bandits particularly, in the late hours of today, 17 September 2021, the troops arrived at a camp suspected to be the location where Maj C.L. Datong was being held.
“At the camp, the troops exchanged fire with the bandits. In the process, the gallant troops were able to rescue the abducted officer. However, the officer sustained a minor injury but has been treated in a medical facility and handed over to NDA for further action”.
The division commended security agencies for their support. “The Division wishes to commend the efforts of the NAF, DSS, Nigerian Police, and patriotic Nigerians for their invaluable support which contributed to the success of this operation.
“Our operations will continue until we capture or neutralise the assailants that killed two officers in the NDA on August 24, 2021”, the statement added.
SOURCE: today.ng.